Tool-supporting device

ABSTRACT

A supporting device for tools on machines for profiling or cutting sheet metal or metal strips, comprising a tool-bearing shaft coupled at each end with a sheath rotating in a bearing, each sheath being secured to the shaft by means of a removable spindle.

United States Patent [151 3,683,663 Diolot {4 1 Aug. 15, 1972 [54] TOOL-SUPPORTING DEVICE [56] References Cited Inventor: Lucien DiOlOt, Neuilly, France [731 Assign: m Nmlvelle spidem Paris 3,332,270 7/1967 Jordans ..72/238 France 975,185 11/1910 Walsh ..72/180 X 22 Filed; Ju|y 22 1970 369,669 9/1887 Vermealen ..72/ 180 [21] A l N 57 222 3,435,652 4/1969 Dlolot ..72/238 X I Primary Examiner--Milton S. Mehr [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A't0rey Edwm Gre'gg July 25, 1969 France ..PV 6925587 [57] ABSTRACT A supporting device for tools on machines for profil- [52] US. Cl. ..72/238, 72/ 179, 8239/;516255, ing or cutting Sheet metal or metal Strips, comprising a tool-bearing shaft coupled at each end with a sheath g rotating in a bearing, each sheath being secured to the shaft by means of a removable spindle.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures TOOL-SUPPORTING DEVICE The present invention relates to a supporting device for tools for the working of metals, more particularly those which are used for forming metals into desired shapes on machines for the profiling of metal sheets or strips.

In machines of this type, the forming tools are generally arranged on a series of parallel shafts associated in twos in successive vertical planes.

The profile of each group of tools corresponds to that of the sheet or strip which it is proposed to work. Thus, for corrugated sheeting, the tools are constituted by series of forming rolls arranged opposite one another on their respective shafts, so as to make the peaks of one system of rolls correspond to the valleys of the other.

Similar machines are used for slitting, for which operation the tools are constituted by a set of cutters.

To change from one kind of production to another, all the tools of the first have to be replaced by new tools the shape of which corresponds to that of the second product to be produced.

The operations which such changes involve are generally long and require a certain amount of care at assembly.

Furthermore, since often very wide strips or sheets have to be dealt with, the rolls constituted by the appropriate tools are of considerable length relative to their diameter. It follows that at one side of the machine a sufficient free space must be left free to allow the said rolls to be manipulated at dismantling and remounting.

In their British Patent application No. 5997/68 of 8th Feb. 1967, applicant proposed a device whereby it is possible to dispense, each time the tools are changed, with removing or opening the bearings, and also disengaging the driving means of the shafts (chains, gear wheels, couplings, etc.).

For this purpose the applicant described a system wherein a tool-carrying roller is interposed between each of the spindles forming shafts and the tools proper. The roller is arranged in such a manner that it can be assembled at each of its ends with a sheath which, in its turn, rotates in the bearing which corresponds thereto; the rigid assembly thus formed constitutes a compound tool-carrying shaft but one which is relatively easy to disassemble, the two end sheaths remaining in position and only the roller carrying the tools being demounted after removal of the spindle.

This system, however, has the restriction of having to provide a sufficient space at one side of the machine for the convenient demounting of the various shafts.

The device according to the present invention makes it possible to obviate this disadvantage. Using an intermediate tool-carrying roller, like that described by the applicant in his aforesaid patent application, the device according to the invention aims at supplementing the said roller by means whereby it is possible to avoid the use of a longitudinal spindle extending from one end of each of the machine shafts to the other.

Thus, the spindle in question according to the invention is replaced by two much shorter spindles which are each situated substantially level with the corresponding end sheath of the shaft in question.

In its turn the tool-carrying roller, which is tubular in general shape, is arranged on the one hand to receive the various forming rolls or cutters and on the other hand so as to permit of locking the said elements in a suitable manner, after they have been positioned; each roller is also adapted to present at each of its ends a sufficient supporting surface, in the form of a plate for example, against which a correspondingsurface of the corresponding sheath situated at the end of the said roller can be applied.

In order to assemble each of the end sheaths with the tool-carrying roller, the corresponding spindle is used, this assembly being such that it can be disassembled rapidly and without any difficulty.

Therefore, a compound tool-carrying shaft is provided as in the case of the aforesaid patent application belonging to the applicant, of which only the central portion is demounted, the device being adapted to leave the, two spindles according to the present invention in position after the connections have been released. Therefore, there is no longer any need to reserve a free space at the side of the machine.

Means are provided also for maintaining the perfect rigidity, during operation, of each compound shaft according to the invention. In cases where the connection between the roller and each of the end sheaths is effected by means of appropriate fitting-together by the corresponding spindle, this means is constituted by the assembly, without play, of on the one hand a cylindrical bearing portion of adequate diameter provided for this purpose on the said spindle, and on the other hand the assembly constituted by the end sheath situated at the same side and the plate which the tool-carrying roller comprises at its end for this purpose.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly of the three main elements constituting the compound shaft with one another is effected by a bay onet joint which will be described hereinafter.

A head of flattened form is placed at the roller side end of each of the spindles, the said head comprising at least one stud at its periphery; an inner shoulder is provided on the roller in the vicinity of the corresponding end of the said roller, the said shoulder comprising an axial bore capable of allowing the passage of the head of the spindle, but only in a certain position of this head; one or more notches are formed on the periphery of the said bore, these notches each corresponding to one of the studs of the head of the spindle. This head thus forms a bayonet element. A clamping means is provided at the outer end of each spindle according to the invention, the said means being intended to lock the tool-carrying roller and the end sheath situated at the same side against one another.

Finally, a means is also provided at each end of the compound shaft according to the invention for permitting the optional orientation of the spindle relatively to the tool-carrying roller after the unclamping of the system, in order to enable the studs of the spindle head to be brought opposite the notches of the inner shoulder of the roller and thus to permit disengaging it until its head is brought slightly outside the junction surface of the roller plate and that of the sheath facing it.

In a modified form of embodiment, the bayonet joint is replaced by a screwed connection, in which case each spindle may be made in one piece; in this case it is unnecessary to bring it into a specific orientation in order to disassemble the device.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the course of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, the description and drawings concerning preferred forms of embodiment of the invention which are given purely by way of illustration without implying any limitation.

In the following figures, the same reference numerals always designate the same parts.

FIG. 1 shows in longitudinal section a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a second device according to the invention also in longitudinal section.

FIG. 1 shows the tool-carrying roller 1 on which there have been placed tools shown diagrammatically at 23. Also shown diagrammatically is a portion of the tools 24 arranged on the shaft parallel to that which is visible in the illustration (this parallel shaft itself, however, has not been illustrated).

2 designates one of the end plates forming a flange of the roller 1.

3 designates the lock nut for the tools 23, this nut screwing on to the roller end opposite from the bearing plates 2 and forming, once locked, the second end flange of the roller.

4 and 5 are the two end sheaths of the compound shaft according to the invention, the said sheaths rotating in respective bearings 6 and 7.

At 8 and 9 there are shown the portions of the frame of the machine on which the said two bearings rest.

10 and 11 are the two spindles used for connecting together and clamping the various elements of the compound shaft.

12 and 13 are the two heads of the spindles, each head comprising, in the example of embodiment illustrated, two double studs 25 and 26.

27 is one of the inner shoulders of the roller 1 which shoulder comprises a bore 28 allowing the passage of the rod 29 which supports the head 12 of the spindle, with its studs 25 and 26.

30 is the cylindrical bearing portion of the spindle intended to fit into the common bore of the roller 1 and sheath 4 in such a manner as to ensure perfect rigidity for the assembly after locking.

The clamping nut 20 effects precisely this locking, bearing on the outer end of the sheath 4 by means of the ring 14.

An intermediate ring 31 is used for filling up the clearance between the spindle 10 and the bore of the sheath 4.

The ring 14 is rendered fast with the said spindle 10 by the key 16. 18 is a bore intended to receive the tool by means of which, after unclamping, it is possible to orientate the head 12 of the spindle l0 optionally, maneuvering the said head from the outside.

At the opposite side, 5 is the end sheath, 11 the corresponding spindle, the supporting ring and its key 17, 19 the bore intended for the tool for orientating the spindle, and 21 is the lock nut.

Shown diagrammatically at 22 is a gear wheel used for driving the compound shaft according to the invention, which gear wheel may in its turn be rotated by a chain or by another gear wheel, for example.

To demount the tools 23, first of all the nuts and 21 are unlocked after which, by means of suitable tools, the two spindles 10 and 11 are appropriately pivoted from the exterior so as to make their studs 25 and 26 come opposite corresponding notches formed for this purpose in the shoulder 27. The spindle 10 can then be pulled out and, symmetrically, the spindle 11, until the tool-carrying roller is completely freed which can then be removed without difficulty.

FIG. 2 shows a modified form of embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein the spindles 10 and 11 are assembled directly by screwing with the tool-carrying roller 4, the inner ends of the said spindles being screw-threaded in consequence and engaging in internally screw-threaded holes which face them. Clamping is effected by the two heads and 121 which are integral with the two spindles 10 and 11 and which, in the example illustrated, are hexagonal heads.

The washers 118 and 119 transmit the clamping forces to the sheaths 4 and 5, the bearing surface of the cylinder 30 not being in contact with the bearing plate 2.

It goes without saying that the foregoing description was given only by way of non-limitative example and that many modifications may also be made without thereby departing from the framework of the invention or going beyond its scope.

That which is claimed is:

1. A tool-supporting device for metal-working machines having compound tool-supporting shafts mounted in parallel rows opposite one another for cooperation with the compound tool-supporting shaft of the opposite row, each of said compound tool-supporting shafts comprising terminal spindles mounted coaxially on a roller associated with said terminal spindles, each of said spindles being connected at a first terminal portion to a diametrically opposed area of the roller, each of said spindles being coaxially mounted in a sheath, rotatably mounted in a bearing, and each of said spindles being secured by a second terminal portion disposed outwardly of said bearing and associated with the respective sheath for easy demounting of the roller from said spindle without removal of the spindles from the bearings.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the inner terminal portion of each spindle is provided with means enabling coupling of the corresponding sheath with the adjacent end of the tool-supporting shaft.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which the inner ends of said sheaths and of said tool-supporting shaft have provided therein radially extending members constituting supporting surfaces for coupling said ends to one another.

4. A device according to claim 1, comprising on each of said spindles at the inner end thereof a cylindrical bearing portion of increased diameter, bores coaxial with said bearing portion provided on said tool-supporting shaft and on the corresponding sheath, the said diameter being substantially equal to the inner diameter of said bores.

5. A device according to claim 1, comprising a coupling between said tool-supporting shaft and each of said sheaths, said coupling comprising a bayonettype joint provided between the corresponding end of the spindle and an inner shoulder provided on said shaft for engaging said spindle.

6. A device according to claim 1, comprising clamping means at the outer end of each of said spindles, said LII threaded bores provided in the ends of said tool-supporting shaft and engaging threads provided on the inner ends of said spindles.

9. A device according to claim 8, in which the outer end of each of said spindles is provided with clamping means. 

1. A tool-supporting device for metal-working machines having compound tool-supporting shafts mounted iN parallel rows opposite one another for cooperation with the compound tool-supporting shaft of the opposite row, each of said compound tool-supporting shafts comprising terminal spindles mounted coaxially on a roller associated with said terminal spindles, each of said spindles being connected at a first terminal portion to a diametrically opposed area of the roller, each of said spindles being coaxially mounted in a sheath, rotatably mounted in a bearing, and each of said spindles being secured by a second terminal portion disposed outwardly of said bearing and associated with the respective sheath for easy demounting of the roller from said spindle without removal of the spindles from the bearings.
 2. A device according to claim 1, in which the inner terminal portion of each spindle is provided with means enabling coupling of the corresponding sheath with the adjacent end of the tool-supporting shaft.
 3. A device according to claim 1, in which the inner ends of said sheaths and of said tool-supporting shaft have provided therein radially extending members constituting supporting surfaces for coupling said ends to one another.
 4. A device according to claim 1, comprising on each of said spindles at the inner end thereof a cylindrical bearing portion of increased diameter, bores coaxial with said bearing portion provided on said tool-supporting shaft and on the corresponding sheath, the said diameter being substantially equal to the inner diameter of said bores.
 5. A device according to claim 1, comprising a coupling between said tool-supporting shaft and each of said sheaths, said coupling comprising a bayonet-type joint provided between the corresponding end of the spindle and an inner shoulder provided on said shaft for engaging said spindle.
 6. A device according to claim 1, comprising clamping means at the outer end of each of said spindles, said clamping means comprising a supporting ring on the spindle and a nut screwing onto a thread provided on the end thereof.
 7. A device according to claim 6, comprising key means for locking said ring on the spindle and a peripheral recess on said ring for engaging a tool for enabling rotation of said spindle.
 8. A device according to claim 1, comprising threaded bores provided in the ends of said tool-supporting shaft and engaging threads provided on the inner ends of said spindles.
 9. A device according to claim 8, in which the outer end of each of said spindles is provided with clamping means. 